Kristen completed her PhD in coral reef ecology in the Coral Reef Ecosystems Laboratory at the University of Queensland in June 2018. During her PhD, she completed a series of studies and experiments that have improved our understanding of how seasonal, local (e.g., eutrophication), and global changes (e.g., ocean warming) influence benthic community structure with a focus on coral and macroalgal communities and their competitive interactions.

 

As a postdoctoral research fellow, Kristen has principally focused on exploring the relationships between oceanographic processes and coral reef ecosystem dynamics under present day and future conditions. This work has focused on using large scale flow-through mesocosms containing representative reef ecosystems (e.g., hard corals, macroalgae, fish, sediments) to explore the interactive effects of long-term exposure (18 months) to ocean warming and acidification. Using the Great Barrier Reef as a natural laboratory, she is also investigating the potential trade-offs (or compromises) made by so called “coral winners” following recent thermal stress events.

 

For more, please visit my personal website: kristentbrown.weebly.com

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